Sometimes random thoughts on food and wine and the pleasures they provide.

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Last Blast of Summer

The calendar says summer is over, but someone forgot to tell the weather. Summer has finally arrived in Northern California! We’re having temperatures over 100 degrees for several days. I was already resigned to autumn soups and stews, but now my body and brain are thoroughly confused. It's sweltering and I’m back in the barbecue mode again. And in the heirloom tomato mode. I thought I was finished with writing about heirloom tomatoes for the season, but apparently not. At the farmers’ market this week, the tomatoes were even more beautiful than ever. And the price has come down from the usual $3.50 per lb to $2 in some places. My “Tomato Guy” says he’ll be there for at least another month. Vine-ripened tomatoes until the end of October is my idea of paradise.

So to celebrate the last blast of summer, we reverted to our summer Sunday lunch of heirloom tomato salad while dining on the patio. We also had some really sweet late season watermelon, so I added that to the salad as well. Tomatoes, tiny red onions, salt, pepper, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and fresh basil were joined by the watermelon and a little bacon leftover from Larry’s breakfast, crumbled on top. Add my half of the Acme Bread herb roll and once again I'm transported back to summertime.

6 comments:

It is still over 100 degrees in Phoenix now, and I'm getting cranky about it! Hopefully this new bbq recipe will spice up the last bit of heat and hold me over until the cooler weather finally arrives! Stay cool :)